Five Upper Back Exercises to Improve Your Golf Swing!

Thoracic spine mobility and motor control may possibly be the single most important factor for improving your golf game, especially off the tee blocks. The best players in the world are able to separate their hips and shoulders at an elite level and this is all the result of excellent thoracic spine mobility. 

The thoracic spine is the region of the spine where the 12 ribs attach. It’s main planes of motion are the frontal plane (flexion/extension) and the transverse plane (rotation). The golf swing requires a significant amount of both extension and rotation to occur in order to create an elastic sling of tension across the torso. The elastic energy that is created acts like a whip on the club creating both speed and power in the downswing.

Clinically a lack of thoracic spine mobility often results in low back or shoulder pain related to golf. If you have pain in either of these regions it is quite likely that improving your T/S mobility will also help reduce your golf related soreness.

 Here are four drills that can be grouped into one single T/S mobility workout or pre-round warm-up. All you need is a foam roller, a fixed point or heavy weight (optional), and a golf club. 

The first exercise is a joint distraction exercise using a foam roller with an option to use overpressure for an even greater effect if tolerable. The video above describes the importance of using the foam roller as a tool to encourage more extension not by rolling but by hinging over the foam roll like a fulcrum. Whether you are using overpressure or just a foam roll try to aim for 5-10 repetitions per region of your spine before moving on to the next segment either above or below where you started. Do not go below the level of your last ribs, it can be uncomfortable to do this in the lumbar spine region. 

Follow your work on the foam roller with some lumbar-locked open books. The lumbar-locked position (sitting your bum back onto your knees) as described in the video helps us to isolate the T/S a little bit more than the standard “all fours” position. Try having your hand in the small of your low-back and also on the back of your head to target different areas of the T-spine. Aim for at least 2-3 sets of 20-40 repetitions per side before moving on to the next exercise. 

After performing some significant reps in the open book exercise you can move on to the most challenging exercise in this circuit: the windmill. This exercise works best with some sort of weight (I’m using an 18lbs kettlebell) although it is not necessary to be effective. Start with a kneeling windmill as this requires much less motor control and mobility and work to progress to a standing windmill which is one of the ultimate full body mobility and motor control drills. It’s important to keep your eyes on your up hand and always keep your upper arm actively reaching towards the ceiling throughout the movement. Aim for 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions per side before moving on to the final exercise in this sequence. 

The final exercise is one that can be performed very quickly at the golf course before playing a round and is encouraged as a bare minimum warm-up for all golfers in order to prepare the most critical areas of the body (T/S, shoulders and hips). You can use your golf club as the implement in this drill and it can be performed in a standing split stance or 1/2 lunge position instead of kneeling if needed (although kneeling is recommended). Make sure you’re actively keep both arms totally straight and using your bottom hand to push your upper arm/upper body back into rotation. Perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions per side in the workout and at least 20-30 repetitions per side as a warm-up at the golf course. 

This workout will address joint mobility and motor control of the thoracic spine as it pertains to golf and really all of the rotational sports. Add this into your workout routine to help improve your game, decrease pain and move better.